Kiss: Psycho Circus: The Nightmare Child/Molten Vein

Molten Vein 1

The level starts with a Ballbuster to the left and a Spawner to the right. Get rid of the Spawner as quickly as possible. You can do it even without provoking the Ballbuster.

You will see flames appearing from a pipe ahead from time to time. When you pass the pipe, hide behind a big one ahead. There’s a Spawner, and the pipe provides you with a safe spot from Stumps created by it. Kill that Spawner and the Stumps it produced.

As soon as you do it, Headless will start appearing. Now there’s another Spawner ahead which produces them, but don’t be too hasty. There’s also a Fat Lady nearby. You can use your Punisher to destroy the Fat Lady knowing that she doesn’t throw her internal organs at you point-blank. She will try to slap you, so you will have to move around a lot.

The Spawner is on the high floor. Use the ladder to reach it. When you appear on the high floor, another Spawner will come to life and start producing Stumps.

Secret: You will see a few crates near the ladder. Smash all you can to reveal a niche with a Blood Rose inside.

The way leads to another ladder, this one is down. There’s a Meanie Beanie guarding the way, so destroy it and prepare for a really nasty part.

If you look down, you will most likely see Headless and Stumps trying to reach you from below. Killing them is pointless because more will appear. You will have to deal with a bunch of tough enemies with the risk of burning to death in lava should you make a wrong step. Jump down.

• Two Spawners are in opposite sides of the platform you land on.
• One Spawner on the upper floor near the platform you can jump to.
• One more Spawner is on the bridge above, really hard to spot. A Unipsycho is somewhere nearby, so stay alert.
• Two Ballbusters are on a high spot.
• A Unipsycho is far ahead, but it’s better not to provoke him yet.
• And a lot of Gasbags and knee-high enemies will try to interfere you.

There are some Health Potions down below including two Health Bottles near the closed gate. Also you can always retreat to catch your breath.

When you’re finally done, use the Scourge on a ring to pull yourself to where the Ballbusters were before you killed them. After picking up some useful items pull the lever. This will open the gate ahead, but don’t be hasty. Two Ballbusters have appeared below.

After you’re done with them, go to the newly opened gate. Pick up an Elemental Cube behind a pipe and climb up. Here is another tricky part where you need to proceed forward by jumping from pipe to pipe. If you ever fall down and not land to lava, you can climb up again.

There is a Angel Charm behind a pipe below. A Fat Lady is on the top floor to the right and a Unipsycho is on a big horizontal pipe ahead. There’s also the next armor piece on the same pipe where the Unipsycho is which makes this part a bit tricky.

The shortcut looks like this: pick up the Angel Charm, climb over the pipes until you come closer to the Fat Lady and kill her with the Magma Cannon. There’s no point in dodging her attacks since you’re invulnerable. After that try to kill the Unipsycho without landing near him since this might result in picking up the Elder Belt. Due to a bug receiving the armor piece while being invulnerable will result in instant bonus loss even if the Angel Charm icon will be shown in the lower left part of the screen. If you’re having trouble picking up the Elder Belt, leave it for now. You will come here later anyway.

After receiving or ignoring the armor piece go to a corridor where flames erupt from time to time. It’s on one of the pipes above. There you will meet a Fat Lady, also a Spawner will be waiting in a niche to the left. Don’t come too close to the Fat Lady since this will awaken the Spawner.

Pull the lever behind the Fat Lady to open the gate behind the Spawner. This will take you back to the hall where the grand fight took place. Right after you enter the hall, an Arachniclown will appear from the right.

After crossing the bridge you will see a damage boost bonus on a pipe to the right. Pick it up, since you will really need it. Three Unipsychoes are waiting ahead as well as a few Stumps. Stumps will be constantly appearing from a Spawner ahead but you shouldn’t bother about them until the Unipsychoes are dealt with.

The way ahead is through a pipe with flames erupting from it from time to time. When you come closer, another Spawner will come to life. Two wooden crates contain a Health Bottle each, destroy them to get bonuses.

You will come to a dead end with some heavy machinery. Pull the lever to start the machinery. This will also reveal the path you need to take. Sadly, two Spawners will be also revealed in niches nearby. When you’re finally done there, head all the way back across the bridge. A new gate will be opened.

A Fat Lady with some minor enemies will attack you. Kill the Fat Lady. Getting rid of other foes might be difficult since two Spawners ahead will produce more. One Spawner is to the left and above of the gate, another one is in the warehouse ahead on crates. Try to get rid of both without entering the room because a Ballbuster behind you will be a real trouble.

One of the crates hides a Spawner inside, so be careful destroying everything. Though, you must destroy two crates in the far right corner to reveal a valve. Turn it. Also pull a lever near one of the walls to open the gate.

Secret: Climb on a pile of boxes near the wall and jump on the wall with Black Diamond. From the wall go to where the Ballbuster was. Jump on the pipe with two Fire Icons on the left. After that jump to a wall with the Ballbuster’s corpse and pick up a Rage Orb. The last jump here is tricky.

Proceed forward and you will face a Ballbuster if you haven’t killed him before. Most likely, you haven’t. Pull the lever. Now pick up the Elder Belt if you haven’t done so before.

You will see a Spawner ahead. Better destroy it before it started producing Stumps. It’s not the best idea to kill it with close-ranged weapons since this will provoke a Meanie Beanie. It’s easier to avoid its pins without entering the hall with the Spawner and the Meanie Beanie.

When you’re done with these two, go ahead and meet a Ballbuster. Better kill him quickly since there’s another Spawner ahead and it’s really close.

The next enemy is a Unipsycho, and there’s a Spawner behind it. If you don’t want to provoke the Spawner, don’t get too close to the Unipsycho. Better lure him out.

Go ahead. You might recognize the place, by the way. Anyway, you will meet another Spawner around the corner. Deal with it quickly since a Fat Lady is nearby and you wouldn’t want to fight her along with an endless swarm of Stumps. If your dodging skill is high, you can just charge to the end of the level.

You will come to a dead end with a single Spawner – the last one on this level. There’s no need even to destroy it unless you really want to. Anyway, use the lever.

Molten Vein 2

You begin in the same room where the exit from this level is. So close, yet so far. Before turning the valve pick up items you can find. After that turn the valve to open the gate and make the lava level raise.

You have about 5 minutes to reach the ladder and escape certain death. Lava will raise from time to time reducing your chances to survive. Don’t waste your time. Ignore monsters instead of killing them unless you absolutely have to. Pick up bonuses only if you really need them.

The first monster you encounter is s Spawner. Luckily, you can avoid it. It will be buried by lava anyway.

After the second Spawner you will come to a junction. You need to go right but you can pick up Hawk Eyes on the left first. The artifact is guarded by a Ballbuster, so be quick. Gasbags will also try to distract you, but they usually don’t chase you.

Pretty soon you will come to another junction. Damage boost bonus in on the left and it's not really worth picking up. Anyway, you need to go right. If you were quick enough, you’ll be able to pick up two Black Diamonds.

You will see a Spawner ahead. To reach it you will have to climb under the pipe and pass another pipe. Sadly, this foe spawns Stumps, so most likely you will have to waste some time on it.

There are two Spawners on the next platform. You need to kill only the latter to proceed forward.

Here another time-wasting part takes place. You will have to fight two Ballbusters who can’t be easily avoided.

Secret: You will notice a Rage Orb on a platform with a big pipe. Use your Scourge on the ring above to reach it. Climb on the pipe and follow it to pick up Draco.

Jump from platform to platform to reach the final one with two Spawners. It’s not hard to avoid them, but if you want and time allows it, kill these monsters. Your next destination is a ladder on the furthest part of the platform. Climb it. Lava level will raise dramatically, but that’s the last time it raises on this level. No need to rush forward now. You will also get another armor piece – the Elder Vest with wings. This one doesn’t look like a part of the original Demon’s costume at all but it doubles your melee damage anyway.

You will be surrounded by a swarm of Headless. Two Ballbusters will be shooting at you. Killing Headless will also spawn more of these monsters, so be prepared. A Blood Rose on one of the pipes might help you a lot.

You will have to run forward since more Spawners ahead produce more monsters. When you turn around the corner, you will see a Fat Lady. Use everything you can to get rid of her as quickly as possible since a Spawner nearby makes annoying Stumps.

There are three Ballbusters, one Fat Lady and three Spawners, not to mention a lot of smaller enemies those Spawners produce. If you’re having trouble here, it’s time to Draco... if you got it before, of course.

When you’re done with the enemies after this long run, you can finally catch your breath and gather some items. Don’t forget about a Blood Rose on a pipe if you haven't got it before.

A Grinder will attack you once you turn around the corner.

After this foe a Spawner will be waiting for you ahead. It’s hard to kill it since it’s around the corner hard to see. Jump on a big pipe nearby to make your job easier.

Secret: When you’re on the pipe, turn left and pick up a Pamphlet in a dark niche.

But the Spawner ahead is not the only enemy here. Two Ballbusters are waiting for you ahead. Kill at least one of them from afar to make your job easier since two Unipsychoes will attack you once you enter the next hall.

Provoking Unipsychoes and retreating is not the best strategy here since you will also provoke two Spawners ahead which produce Headless.

When you get rid of the enemies and have a look around, you will find that you’re in the same place where you’ve picked up the fourth armor piece. Not like it helps you or anything...

The last part of the level is a place where you started. You might not recognize it since it’s filled with lava now. There are three main dangers here: a Spawner to the right of the entrance, another Spawner on the opposite shore behind a pipe to the right and a Grinder behind a pipe to the left.

When you cross the lava pit and open the gate, a Meanie Beanie will attack you. It’s the last enemy here and it can be ignored, just charge into the darkness ahead.

Molten Vein 3

A cut scene shows a lot of foes you will have to deal with. As soon as the level starts, you will be attacked (and most likely be hit) by Headless. If you’re low on health, skip the cut scene to avoid dying.

The first Spawner is right behind the corner, easy to kill. Two more are up on the pipes above. And the fourth Spawner is right ahead on the same floor as you. It’s hard but possible to kill all the Spawners without entering the hall. Try to do so since there are three Ballbusters high above you. Run around a lot or use the crouching thick (though, it might not work here so well). Also, it’s possible to hide behind the ladders from their cannonballs.

When you’re done with the four Spawners and the three Ballbusters, climb up the ladder and gather all items you can find. Jump from one pipe to another and use the lever. There will be another Spawner ahead, but for now it’s easier to avoid Headless from it than to fight them.

When you’re ready to proceed or if you want to kill everything you can find before pulling the lever, go to the next small room. There is another Spawner hiding around a corner and a Fat Lady on a rise. You can hide behind that rise from her attacks but you will be attacked by two Tickers instead. Climb up the ladder and pull another lever near the Fat Lady’s dead body.

Brace yourself. A gate will open and a Fat Lady will emerge. There are also two Spawners and two Ballbusters in the next room. The first Spawner is relatively easy to kill but the second one is hard to reach. Use your Scourge on a ring nearby. Of course, you need to get rid of Ballbusters first.

Then you’re finally ready, open the next gate. It’s on a big pipe. Once you do it, a Spawner right in front of you will come to life and start producing Stumps. There’s also a Ballbuster patrolling the ledge behind the Spawner, but there’s a chance that he won’t notice you.

When you’re done with both foes, you can finally have a look around. Picking up any item from smaller pipes ahead will awaken another Spawner, but it’s easy to deal with it from above.

Jump or climb down and pull another lever. A gate will open revealing a small corridor with two Spawners producing Stumps. Nothing serious.

But pulling the next lever will open the gate to two Meanie Beanies. If you’re not quick enough, you will be killed in a blink of an eye. Take cover. There’s a chance that Meanie Beanies will attack each other making your job much easier.

Climb up the ladder. A Ballbuster will attack you, so be prepared. There are also two Spawners situated on two high spots. Pick up a Key where the Ballbuster was. Use it to open the gate.

Once you open the gate, four Spawners will awaken and start creating monsters. The closest one is right on the left. Easy to reach, but it’s guarded by a Unipsycho. The second and the third Spawners are not really hard to kill once you’re done with the Unipsycho. Climb to where the first Spawner is up the crates and make a few precise shots with the Scourge or the Windblade. But the fourth Spawner is guarded by a Grinder. Moreover, if you try to get closer, you will be attacked by a Fat Lady from the left.

When you approach the last Spawner you killed, look to the left. There’s a Ballbuster who will attack you from above. You can simply dash forward, but the next part is challenging enough to beat it without retreating. You will be instantly attacked by two Ticklers, a Spawner will also awaken. If you destroy the Spawner as quickly as possible, luring Ticklers out will be much easier.

There are two Spawners ahead and a room with heavy machinery behind them. After you climb up the ladder, you will face two more Spawners.

There’s a way on the right. There you will face a Spawner and a Unipsycho. Kill the Spawner first, retreat and kill the Stumps one by one. Dealing with the Unipsycho will be much easier this way.

There are two Unipsychoes and a Spawner ahead. If you run forward without turning around the corner and jump to a platform ahead, you will get a nice cover. Be careful picking up a Health Bottle on top of the lavafall or you might stuck in the level geometry and get yourself killed.

Now it’s time to kill four more enemies. The closest one is a Fat Lady patrolling a way above. It’s hard for her to see you, so she won’t attack you at first. Two Ballbusters on the left are far more dangerous enemies now. Also don’t miss a Unipsycho to the left of the Ballbusters. After you kill the Fat Lady you can climb up the ladder and pick up a damage boost bonus. This might help you dealing with other monsters.

Go past the lavafall on the right and kill one more Spawner.

Now prepare for the last and one of the hardest parts of this level. The mirror is in the room ahead. You can dash to the ladder and run to the mirror as fast as you can. It’s not easy, but possible.

Another way: kill everything you encounter. Two Spawners are on the ground floor. These are the last Spawners on this level.

The last room contains four Ballbusters and two Unipsychoes. Both Unipsychoes are above the entrance to the room, all the Ballbusters are on ledges around the perimeter. Killing enemies one by one sounds like an obvious plan, but it’s easier said than done.

When it’s finally over, gather some goodies (don’t forget about a Blood Rose) and use the mirror of the tracks. There’s something off with the reflection. Again.